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THE ART OF ANGLING 



HOW AND WHERE 



CATCH KISH 



By WAKEMAN HOLBERTON 




NEW YORK 
DICK & FITZGERALD, PUBLISHERS 

l8 ANN STREET 



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V\7^ 



COPYRICnT 1887 BT 

DICK & FITZGERALD 
All rights reserved. 



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PKEFACE. 



Although there have been many works pub- 
lished on Anghng in this country, they are all 
too diffuse in their scope and complex in their 
directions to be of much use to the beginner. 

While this little book claims no joretensions 
to literary merit, the directions given are so 
simple and concise as to enable the most inex- 
perienced angler to select jDroj^er tackle and 
baits for the different kinds of fishing and 
variety of fish found in our waters. 

In illustrating this work, the author is in 
debted to the courtesy of Messrs. Abbey & 
Imbrie, of New York, for some of the most 
prominent diagrams and cuts, which materially 
aid in elucidating the text, and in making it, 
what it claims to be, a thoroughly practical 

handbook of instruction in the piscatorial ai't. 

^3) 



CONTENTS. 



PAGE 



Hints on Buying Tackle 7 

The Salmon 9 

The Landlocked Salmon 14 

The Speckled or Brook Trout 15 

Choice of Flies 39 

Hints on Trout-Fishing 34 

Sea-Trout 36 

Lake-Trout 37 

Black Bass 39 

Trolling and Still-Fishing for Bass 43 

Where to Fish 50 

Miscellaneous Hints 55 

Black-Bass Fishing on the St. Lawrence River. . . 56 

Salt- Water Angling 66 

Sheepshead 75 

The King-Fish or Barb 76 

Hooks, Snells, and Various Hints 79 

Camping Out 89 

Last Words 95 

(5) 



THE ART OF ANGLING. 



HINTS ON BUYING TACKLE. 

I WOULD advise those who are about to pur- 
chase fishing-tacMe to go to a rehable dealer 
and buy the best they can afford. There is 
little, if any, fancy work put on rods or reels ; 
the difference in price is caused by the dif- 



• 5=.= == =^ 

» I ■ !■ I 



EIGHT-SECTION BAMBOO ELT-KOD. 

ferent grades of material and workmanship 
employed in their manufacture. Machine- 
made rods, with their brilliant nickel-plated 
mountings and showy silk windings, are often 
more tempting to the young angler than the 



8 UINT8 ON BUYING TACKLE. 

plainer but more substantial rods made by 
hand, out of carefully selected wood or bam- 
boo, particularly as they are much cheaper ; 
but a hand-made rod, with good German- 
silver mountings, is far better for service and 
\vill more than rej)ay the increased outlay. 
The best way, if he wishes to purchase an 
outfit and is not well posted, is to mention 
the sum he wishes to invest, where he intends 
fishing, and leave it to the dealer to advise 
him how to select to the best advantage. The 
higher grades of tackle are warranted by the 
dealers, but on the cheaper grades the pur- 
chaser must take his chances. 

If the angler has to content himself with a 
low-priced rod and reel, at least let him look 
to it that his lines, leaders, flies, and snelled 
hooks are of the very best. He should not be 
tempted by the wonderfully cheap stuff adver- 
tised so much in the papers, or he will find his 
trip spoiled and his temjoer sorely tried by the 
loss of his heaviest fish. 

After having purchased good tackle, it 



THE 8ALM0N. 9 

should be fairly treated and kept in good 
order, directions for wliich will be found in 
another part of this work. 

The angler is cautioned against buying a 
general rod ; if he wants a fly-rod and a bait- 
rod, he should buy them. It is useless to try 
and make one rod answer for both purposes. 
As a rule, it would not answer for either, and 
be only a delusion and a snare. 

If he desires to succeed, he should see, 
above all things, that his reels fit his rods 
before leaving. Nothing is more provoking 
than to find that he cannot get his reel-plate 
into the reel-seat, just as he is ready to com- 
mence fishing. 

THE SALMON. 

This magnificent fish, once so plentiful, has 
been nearly exterminated in the Eastern 
States ; though, thanks to the energy of the 
Fish Commissioners, they are now reappear- 
ing in a few of our rivers ; still, Canada fur- 
nishes most of our Salmon-fishing, and our 



10 THE SALMON. 

anglers have to pay many thousands of dollars 
annuaUy for the privilege of fishing there for 
this noble specimen of the finny tribe. 

On the Pacific coast several varieties of 
Salmon are found in immense numbers, but 




the canning factories are rapidly diminishing 
their numbers, and, unless protected by strin- 
gent laws, they will soon experience the fate 
of their unfortunate Eastern brethren. 

The California Salmon do not seem much 
inclined to take the artificial fly, but prefer a 
medium-sized spoon. The usual method is to 



THE SALMON, 11 

troll for them with a stiff rod and a multiply- 
ing reel, filled with a hundred yards of No. 1 
or 2 braided-silk line. 

The best rod for our Eastern Salmon is a 
two-handed fly-rod, about 16 feet long, with a 
click reel that wiU carry not less than 100 
yards of " Dead Finish " waterproof braided- 
silk Hne, No. 2 ; a few heavy nine-foot single 
gut leaders, tested at least to a seven-pound 
strain, and suitable flies. 

One fly is used at a time, looped to the end 
of the leader, first soaking the gut until it is 
perfectly soft. Never fish with a dry leader, 
or attempt to tie or loop silkworm gut unless 
thoroughly soaked. 

Salmon flies are tied on both double and 
single hooks, and the angler should have an 
assortment of aU sizes ; for smaU flies the 
double hook is better, as it does not tear out 
so easily as the single, but for flies dressed on 
hooks larger than No. 4 the single hook is 
preferred. 

When the river is high and discolored, 



13 THE SALMON. 

Salmon will only rise to a large fly, such as 
a Silver-doctor or Jock-Scott, dressed on a 
1-0 or 2-0 Sproat-liook ; when the waters are 
low and clear, try them with smaller flies and 
]3lain colors, such as the Fairy, Fiery-brown, 
Witch, etc. 

The fishing is generally done from a canoe, 
but it often happens, after hooking a fish, that 
the angler will be obliged to go ashore and 
follow his fighting captive some distance be- 
fore he can be brought within reach of the 
gaff. 

There are certain places in the rivers where 
Salmon are found, or at least where they only 
take the fly ; these are called Salmon pools, 
though not like what the Trout fisher would 
recognize as pools, but more hke a deep flow- 
ing current at the head of a pool. The canoe 
is anchored at the head of one of these and 
the angler casts his Hne across diagonally, and 
works his fly by a series of short motions 
toward the other side, repeating his casts with 
a little longer line each time, until the whole 



THE SALMON. 13 

water is covered. Should a fish rise and miss 
the fly, rest him at least ten or fifteen minutes 
before trying again — and it is generally con- 
sidered better to try a change of flies. If he 
takes the fly, strike smai-tly, but not too hard, 
or the leader may be parted. Your canoe- 
man will now take in his anchor and prepare 
for the struggle. Keep a steady strain on the 
fly, taking in lino at every opportunity, and 
not yielding an inch unless forced to. When 
the fish shows signs of being used up, lead 
him toward the gaffer, who will, at the proper 
moment, strike the steel gaff into him and 
land him on the shore. 

The following is a list of the most killing 
flies suitable for Salmon in our waters : Fairy, 
Gypsy, Durham-ranger, Butcher, Silver-grey, 
Leon, Black-doctor, Dusty-miller, Silver-doc- 
tor, Wilmot, Wingfield-red, Fiery-brown, Pop- 
ham, Jock-Scott, Blue-doctor, Witch, Thunder- 
and-lightning. Black-dose, and Blue-tansy. 



14 THE LANDLOCKED 8AL3I0N. 



THE LANDLOCKED SALMON. 

This fish is undoubtedly a descendant of 
the true Atlantic Salmon, deprived by some 
terrible convulsion of nature from access to 
the sea. It is one of the gamest as well as 
one of the most beautiful of our fresh-water 
fishes, and it is a great pity that its range is 
so limited, being confined to a few waters in 
Maine, Canada, New Brunswick, and Nova 
Scotia. Many of our Eastern waters are now 
being stocked, however, and in a few years, if 
properly protected, this noble fish will become 
quite plentiful. Landlocked Salmon are taken 
with the artificial fly, either by casting or 
trolling ; the same tackle being used as when 
fly-fishing for Black Bass, viz. : a stout flj'-rod ; 
a click-reel, filled with from thirty-five to fifty 
yards of dead-finish waterproof braided-silk 
line. No. 4, and heavy nine or six foot single 
leaders ; on which should be looped two flies, 
three feet apart. The flies should be dressed 



THE SPECKLED OR BROOK TROUT. 15 

on No. 3 or No. 4 Sproat-hooks, and the gut 
doubled at the head of the hook. 

The following is a good list to select from i 
Beatrice, Brandreth, Ferguson, Silver-doctor, 
Holberton, Professor, Tinselled-Ibis, Grizzly- 
king, Silver-fairy, Lottie, Orange, Coachman, 
Silver-jungle, Jungle -professor. Jungle-grizzly- 
king, and Jungle-St. Patrick. 

A good-sized landing net is necessary for 
landing these fish. 



THE SPECKLED OR BROOK TROUT. 

With the exception of the Black Bass, there 
is no fish found over a greater range of coun- 
try, or one that affords more sport than the 
Brook Trout ; certainly there is none more 
prized or is there any that will compare with 
them for beauty. Living only in the purest 
and coolest spring- water, the Trout is a prince 
among fish. 

They vary in weight from the little finger- 
lings of an ounce or two, to the royal eight 



16 THE SPECKLED OR BROOK TROUT. 

and ten-pound monsters of the Nipegon and 
Maine waters. 

The most sportsmanlike way of taking Trout 
is with the artificial fly, and, notwithstanding 
the many stories to the contrary, it is also the 
most killing. Bait-fishing is easier to learn, 
but it does not give the angler the same 
pleasure. It is dirty, cruel, and very injurious 




THE SPECKLED OR BROOK TROUT. 

to the small fish, which, when caught with the 
fly, are generally hooked in the lips, and can 
be returned to the water unharmed ; while, 
nine times out of ten, when taken with bait, 
they swallow the hook and are killed. Still, 
there are times when, from the nature of the 
waters, the use of the artificial fly is impos- 
sible ; then a lively minnow, worm, or grass- 
hopper must be used instead. 



THE SPECKLED OR BROOK TROUT. 17 

A complete outfit for Trout-fishing should 
comprise at least three rods — one light, short 
rod to be employed exclusively for stream 
fishing ; one of about 10 feet in lengih and 
from 7 to 8 ounces in weight for river and 
pond fishing, and one from 11 to 12 feet in 
length and 9 or 10 ounces in weight for Maine 
and Canada waters. The latter is also well 
adapted to Black Bass and Landlocked Salmon. 

If the angler feels obliged to confine himself 
to a single rod, let him select one from 10 to 
11 feet in length and 7 to 9 ounces in weight. 

To show the reader what a light rod wiU do 
in the hands of an experienced angler, we give 
the following facts : Mr. Herbert E. Clark, of 
Jersey City, killed during the summer of 1885, 
at Alexandria Bay, in the presence of a num- 
ber of witnesses, a Sturgeon weighing 78 
pounds. He was using an eight-ounce split- 
bamboo fly-rod, a fine silk Black-Bass line, 
and a single-gut leader. The fight lasted an 
hour and five minutes, and he had to follow 
the fish over a mile before he was captured. 
2 



18 THE SPECKLED OR BROOK TROUT. 

Mr. Charles F. Imbrie killed a seventeen- 
pound Salmon on an eight-ounce round-sec- 
tion fly-rod ; but the most extraordinary feat 
was performed on the Cascapedia River by 
Mr. G B. Adams, of New York, who kiUed, in 
August, 1886, a thirty-two-pound Salmon on 
a seven-onnce round-section bamboo fly-rod. 

Mr. Adams was unprepared for it, as he was 
fishing for Sea-Trout, and onl}^ had 50 yards 
of line — he brought the fish to gaff in about 
thirty minutes. The day previous he killed 
on the same rod a Salmon weighing 9 pounds. 

The eight-section round-bamboo rods al- 
ready mentioned are expensive, but undoubt- 
edly the strongest rods in the world. Next in 
quahty, and for less money, come the hex- 
agonal or six-strip bamboo rods. 

For those who can onl^ have one rod, 
" The Holberton " rod is a very useful imple- 
ment. It is a short and rather stiff fly-rod, 
but can be used for bait-fishing at a pinch. 
Having a short butt and a long joint and tip, 
with only one ferrule between, it makes an 



THE SPECKLED OR BROOK TROUT. 19 

unusually strong rod, well-balanced and easy 
to fish with. 

The old-fashioned three-j^iece wooden rod, 
ash butt and lance wood joint and tips, when 
hand-made, makes a most serviceable rod. 
Do not make the mistake, however, of select- 
ing one too weak in the centre ; it sounds 
very pretty to speak of the tip touching the 
butt, but it makes a very disagreeable rod to 
cast with, particularly on a windy day, and it 
is impossible to guide or control a heavj' fish 
with it. In fly-fishing, the reel should be 
underneath, with the handle on the left side. 
As soon as a fish is hooked, shift the rod to 
the left hand, bringing the reel on top ; the 
handle is now convenient to the right hand, 
and in playing the fish in this manner the 
strain is reversed and the rod kept straight. 

The best reel for Trout-fishing is a good 
single-action click ; the German-silver and 
hard rubber raised pillar is the best, and will 
last a lifetime with proper care. 

The click prevents the necessity of holding 



20 THE SPECKLED OR BROOK TROUT. 

the line while casting, and also keeps it from 
overrunning. It should be stiff enough to 
hook when striking,^ and yet give before caus- 
ing a breaking strain on the rod or tackle in 
case the line should hai^pen to get fast to a 
snag or branch. The click also makes music 
dear to the angler when a big fish rushes off 
with the line. 

For bait-fishing many people prefer a small 
multiplying reel ; it should have an adjustable 
click, so that in case you wish to use it for fly- 
fishing, it will answer as well. 

For fly-fishing use the "Dead Finish" 
braided waterproof silk line — level, not taper- 
ed. The varnished and tapered lines chip, 
crack, and soon become tender, particularly in 
the taper. Fill the reel comfortably^ full, but 
do not crowd it. The size of the line should 
be in keeping with the rod — that is, if the rod 
is stiff and iieavy, the line should be in propor- 

* Striking is a term used by anglers to designate the 
action of hooking a fish. A sliglit movement of the 
hand is all that is necessary to fix the hook firmly. 



THE SPECKLED OR BROOK TROUT. 21 

tion, say a No. 4 ; No. 5 is a medium size, and 
No. 6 is quite light. 

Any line can be used for bait-fishing, but it 
is very difficult to cast with any but the water- 
proof silk lines, and their use also does away 
with the necessity of um*eeling and drying 
them every night. 

A much cheaper line than the " Dead Finish " 
is the oiled silk. Though not so smooth, it 
answers the j)urpose for a time ; but it is not 
safe to trust them too long, as they become 
tender with age. 

The angler should provide himself liberally 
with silk-worm-gut leaders for both fly and 
bait-fishing ; for the latter, they need not be 
over three feet in length, and for fly-fishing, 
six to nine feet — the longer the better, but 
never quite as long as the rod. They should 
be single, and stained a ti'ue mist-color. 

If the angler wishes to stain his own leaders, 
the safest way is to use clear tea or coffee. 
Leave them in until dark enough, then rinse 
them off in cold water. 



23 THE SPECKLED OB BROOK TROUT. 

Leaders should be always tested before 
using tliem, so as to make sure that the knots 
are jDerfect and the gut strong. If they wiU 
stand a strain of two pounds, they are strong 
enough for ordinary Trout-fishing, but for 
large Trout or Black Bass, they should 
stand a test of four pounds. 

"When the water is stiU and clear, Trout are 
generally shy, and it will be necessary to use 
drawn-gut leaders ; they are very delicate, 
however, and the angler must use great caution 
in both striking and playing large fish. As I 
have remarked before, the proper manner of 
striking a fish is very difficult to leaxn, and re- 
quires many seasons of careful practice. The 
majority of anglers strike too hard, and either 
snap their rods or their leaders. 

It is better to carry two or three spare 
leaders in a leader-box between wet leaves of 
felt ; they will then be soft and ready for in- 
stant use. Nothing is more provoking than to 
find a new leader dropping on the water in 
curls, and spoiling the sport for half an hour. 



rUE SPECKLED OB BROOK TROUT. 23 

We will now suppose the young angler has 
reached his fishing ground ; the first thing to 
do is to rub the ferrules of his rod with a piece 
of paraffine or beeswax ; this will prevent them 
from sticking together when they are to be 
taken apart. The rod should be j)ut together 
firmly with the rings or guides in a line. After 
adjusting the reel properly and passing the 
line through the rings, attach the heavier end 
of the leader by a loop, then select two or 
three flies, the snells of which should have 
been well soaked ; loop one to the end of the 
leader ; this is called the " stretcher," or tail- 
fly. About two or three feet above, looj^ a 
second above a knot, so that it cannot slip 
down, and if a third is desired, loop it the 
same distance above the second ; these are 
called the " droppers," and the upper one the 
" hand-fly." Most leaders are equally divided 
by shding loops ; these can be drawn apart and 
the snell inserted, leaving the knot above the 
loop, then drawn together firmly and the loop 
cut off above the knot. This is the best way 



24 THE SPECKLED OR BROOK TROUT. 

of rigging a " cast," and makes the least pos- 
sible disturbance in the water when casting. 

Two flies are all that can be put on a six- 
foot leader, and for a beginner, the tail-fly is 
sufiicient ; with more, they will only become 
tangled, and he discouraged. 

It is impossible for any one to learn the art 
of casting a fly from books ; it is far better to 
take a lesson from an expert friend. It is not 
half so difficult as most j)eople believe ; the 
great trouble is that beginners, and even those 
more advanced, try to cast too long a line. It 
is rarely necessary to use more than 35 or 40 
feet, and 20 feet is amjole in stream fishing. 
One of the most successful anglers the writer 
ever met was a countryman up in the moun- 
tains of Pennsylvania, fishing with a switch cut 
in the brush, a ten- foot line, and some one's old 
discarded leader and shabby flies ; he put them 
on the water in the most masterly way, and 
brought in fish Avhen others better equipped 
fished in vain. 

Another fault which should be avoided is 



THE SPECKLED OR BROOK TROUT. 25 

throwing the rod too far back, which causes 
the cast to drop on the water behind the an- 
gler ; it is very important that the line should 
straighten well out behind ; not only is this 
necessary in order to make a clean cast in front, 
but also to avoid snapping off the flies. Many 
a fly-maker is blamed for using bad gut when 
it is the fault of the fisherman. 

The following are reliable lists of artificial 
flies, from which selections may be made : 

FLIES FOR THE SMALLER STREAMS, ETC., OF THE 
MIDDLE AND EASTERN STATES. 

Professor, Cahill, Hooker, Blue -dun, Queen- 
of - the - Waters, Coachman, Koyal- coachman, 
Dark- coachman, Orange -coachman, Beaverkill, 
Grizzly-king, Golden-spinner, Great-dun, Al- 
der, Stone, Cow- dung, March-brown, White- 
miller, Orange-miller, Light-Montreal, Dark- 
Montreal, Claret, Black-gnat, Grey-drake, Yel- 
low-May, Ginger-palmer, Eed-palmer, Brown- 
palmer, Grey - j^almer, Coch-y-bon-dhu, and 
Jungle. Many of the above are more killing 
by the addition of Jungle-cock shoulders. 



26 THE SPECKLED OR BROOK TROUT. 

These flies should be tied on the highest qual- 
ity sproat-hooks, sizes Nos. 8 to 12. 

FLIES FOR LONG ISLAND. 

Cahill, Grizzly - king, Coachman, Orange- 
coachman, Plum, South-side, Queen-of-the- 
Waters, Scarlet Ibis, Jungle Ibis, Jungle Griz- 
zly-king, Black-gnat, Brown-hen, Dark-coach- 
man, Alder, Claret, Ronald's-Stone, Cow-dung, 
White-miller, General Hooker, Ginger-palmer, 
and the different Midges. With the exception 
of the Midges for very clear and still waters, 
Nos. 8 to 12 sproat will be found the best sizes. 

FLIES FOB THE ADIRONDACK REGION. 

Scarlet Ibis, Coachman, AVhite-miller, Or- 
ange-miller, Orange-coachman, Plum, Profes- 
sor, Silver-doctor, Grizzly-king, Jungle, Eube- 
wood. Jungle, Beatrice, Jungle Ibis, Lottie, 
Light-Montreal, Dark-Montreal, Great-dun, 
Queen-of-the-Waters, Brown-hen, Yellow May, 
Brandreth, McAlpin, and the various Hackles 
and Palmers. Sizes of hooks, sjjroat Nos. 4 
to 8. 



THE SPECKLED OR BROOK TROUT. 27 

FLIES FOR THE WATERS OF CANADA AND MAINE. 

Scarlet Ibis, Jenny Lind, Canada, Grizzly- 
king, Toodle-bug, Parmachenee Belle, Profes- 
sor, Brandreth, Blue - jay, Silver-fairy, St. 
Patrick Montreal, Beatrice, Silver - doctor, 
White -miller, Royal- coachman, Rangeley, Gold- 
en-rod, Silver- jungle, Maine-jungle, Megallo- 
way, Bemis-stream, Coachman, Orange-miller, 
Wood, Grey-drake, Yellow moose, and the 
various Palmers. These should be dressed on 
sproat-hooks Nos. 3 to 6, and should have 
" helpers," that is, the gut doubled at the head 
of the fly. 

FLIES FOR PENNSYLVANIA STREAMS. 

Queen-of-the-Waters, Golden spinner, Claret- 
gnat, Black -gnat, Hawthorne, Cow-dung, Griz- 
zly-king, Dusty-miller, White-miller, Orange- 
miller, Professor, General Hooker, Brown-hen, 
Great-dun, Red- fox, Dark-fox, Bright- fox. 
Yellow May, Beaverkill, Cahill, Blue-dun, Coch- 
y-bon-dhu. Ginger-palmer, and the Brown, Red, 
and Grey Palmers. Sproat-hooks from 10 to 12. 



28 THE SPECKLED OM BROOK TBOJTT. 

FLIES FOR THE NIPEGON AND LAKE SUPEEIOR REGION. 

Whitney, Lottie, Yellow-moose, Beatrice, 
Dark-Montreal, Nipegon, Brandreth, Silver- 
doctor, Grizzly-king, Kangeley, Holberton, 
Ferguson, and Brown-palmer. Sproat-liooks 
Nos. 1 to 4, tied with helpers. 

FLIES FOR THE FAR WEST. 

Black Prince, Orange-black, Beauty, Profes- 
sor, Coachman, Cow-dung, Brown-hen, Dark- 
wing-coachman, Black gnat, White miller, Grey- 
drake, Abbey, Hawthorne, Golden-s^^inner, 
Silver-brown, Grizzly-king, Queen - of - the- 
Waters, Great-dun, Dusty-miller, Brown- 
palmer, Ginger-palmer, Black-palmer, Grey- 
palmer, Grasshopper. It is advisable to have 
a duplicate lot of these flies tied with Jungle- 
cock-shoulders. They should be tied on 
sproat-hooks Nos. 6 to 10. 

For the Yellowstone Kegion, sproat-hooks 
Nos. 2 to 4 will not be too large. 

For Michigan, including Grayling fishing, 
the Coachman, Professor, Brown-hen, Queen- 



CHOICE OF FLIES. 



of -the -Waters, Golcleu-spinner, Grizzly-king, 
Brown and Ginger-j)almers, on sproat-hooks 
Nos. 8 and 10, are the proper flies. 



CHOICE OF FLIES. 

It is impossible to give du-ections how to 
select flies, but the following general rules can 
be relied upon : 

The size of the flies should be regulated 
somewhat by the size of the fish, but more by 
the condition of the water. For instance, if 
you are fishing on a clear stream, rather late 
in the season, and the water is low, you will 
find sober-colored flies on No. 10 or 12 hooks 
will take the best ; if you should happen to 
have a rain-storm and the water should become 
discolored and high, use bright flies, such as 
the Professor, Grizzly-king, Queen-of-the- 
Waters, etc., on hooks one or two sizes larger. 

In lakes and ponds, when the surface of the 
water gets warm (which occurs in August), 
Trout seek the deep water, and it is then use- 



30 CHOICE OF FLIES. 

less to fish with flies — at such times bait must 
be used. 

For very dark days and evening fishing, se- 
lect flies like the Coachman, Ginger-palmer, 
Yellow May, Grizzly-king, White-miller, etc. 

On very rough and windy days, use larger 
and brighter flies. 

The author invented some time ago a new 
way of t^dng a fly, which has proved to be very 
killing ; he sold the patent to Mr. Charles F. 
Imbrie, of the firm of Abbey 
& Imbrie, New York. The 
cut will illustrate the differ- 
ence between the old and 
the new way of dressing the 

In drawing this fly slowly 
through the water, stop- 
ping it every few inches, the 
anoier produces a fluttering 

THE FLUTTERING FLY. & 1 fc) 

Patented May 4th. 1880. niOtiOU tO thC WiUgS aud 

legs that is very attractive to Trout and Black 
Bass. The fish also are hooked better with 




CHOICE OF FLIES. 31 

this fly, as the barb is the first thing they 
swallow. 

This fly has been in use continually this 
season, and with the best results. It has also 
been used by hundreds of anglers, the major- 
ity of whom praise it exceedingly. 

For bait-fishing use your stiffest rod, and, 
for this style of fishing, leaders three feet long 
will answer. Select sproat-hooks on single 
mist- color gut snells, and use a split-shot for 
sinker. If the water is low it is better not to 
use any lead. Trout will take worms, grubs, 
grasshoppers, small minnows, both the real and 
artificial, such as the Fairy or Phantom, but 
these can only be used when trolling. 

In the latter pai-t of July and through the 
month of August, the large Trout retire in the 
lakes to deep water. The best way to fish for 
them then is to use a bright and lively min- 
now. In Maine waters gangs are against the 
law, so the minnow must be used on a single 
hook when fishing in that State. 

For wading wear canvas knee-breeches, 



33 CHOICE OF FLIES. 

heavy woolen stockingSj and canvas shoes with 
the soles well filled with hob-nails ; without 
the latter, you are liable to nasty falls. If you 
cannot stand wading in cold water, use Mcin- 
tosh wading stockings, with the same style of 
shoes over them. A woolen shirt, canvas or 
corduro}^ fishing- jacket, and soft felt hat, will 
complete your outfit. It is desu^able to carry 
a light landing-net at a buttonhole of the coat. 

The following bit of personal experience 
from the diary of an expert angler, wiU show 
the beginner how difficult it is to make any 
fixed rule for the selection of flies : 

" In fishing one day on Rock Run, a beautiful 
trout stream in Lycoming County, Pennsyl- 
vania, where we were in the habit of using very 
small flies, I came to a magnificent pool under 
a fall, famous for the number and size of the 
trout it contained. Wading carefully in, I 
commenced casting, but not a fish could I 
raise. I changed my flies over and over again, 
but not a trout would notice them. Finally, I 
climbed up the rocks overhanging the pool. 



CHOICE OF FLIES. 33 

and peeped cautiously over ; down at the bot- 
tom of the pool I counted a couple of dozen 
large trout, swimming lazily about almost di- 
rectly under the falls. I managed to whip my 
cast into the tumbling water, and as it passed 
over them they SAvam slowly toward the flies a 
short distance, only to return to their former 
position. I tried this a number of times with 
the same result. What to do I did not know ; 
but, in turning over the leaves of my fly-book, 
I found a stray, well-worn salmon-fly, large. 
and gaudy ; in despair I tried that, and to my 
astonishment, the moment it floated over them, 
a thirteen-inch fish made a dash at it that 
startled me. I struck smartly, and he was 
hooked and landed after a sharp fight. I re- 
peated the cast and a second took it in the 
same manner, and was safely brought to my 
landing-net. The third cast was equally sucr 
cessful, but, to my sorrow, the snell parted, and 
that put an end to my sport. Now, I said to 
myself, I know how to catch trout in this pool ; 
so a few days after, I tramped four miles to the 
3 



34 HINTS ON TROUT-FISHING. 

falls, well supplied with big flies, but it was of 
no use, they would not look at them." 



HINTS ON TROUT-FISHING. 

Most of our Trout Streams have been so 
thoroughly fished, that the Trout have become 
exceedingly shy ; to be at all successful the 
angler must use delicate tacMe, keep well out 
of sight, and use the greatest precaution not 
to disturb the fish in any way. When the 
waters are low and clear, it is better to fish 
up-stream ; fish always lie with their heads up- 
stream, and can be api^roached from behind 
much easier and nearer ; and as Trout, when 
hooked, generally run down with the current, 
they ai'e not so apt to disturb the unfished 
water. 

After a Trout is hooked do not attempt to 
bring him to the landing-net too soon. Be- 
ginners are very apt to lose their large fish 
by being too anxious to land them. If a fish 



HINT8 ON TROUT-FISHING. 35 

comes to the surfadfe and thrashes about, it is 
a pretty sure sign that he is not ivell hooked, 
and you should, therefore, handle him with 
the greatest care ; in fact, it is always well to 
treat a good fish that way, and not take any 
chances, as it will avoid many disappoint- 
ments. 

As the season advances and the waters get 
low and clear, the large Trout seek secluded 
places under stumps and old logs, and in holes 
that have been washed out by the spring floods 
under the banks of the stream ; they rarely 
come out to feed excepting at night or on dark 
days. They have frequently been caught 
when it was too dark to see the tip of the rod, 
and where, in the daytime, it would be utterly 
useless to fish. For this work use a stout six- 
foot leader, and one large bright fly. They 
take the fly very boldly at night, and can be 
brought to the creel in short order without 
much risk of tearing out the hook. 

Keep your flies in a full-length fly-book of 
the South-Side or Endicott pattern ; this will 



36 SEA-TROUT. 

also hold your leaders, hooks, file, and scissors. 
A medium-sized creel of willow or of folding 
canvas, to be carried by a web-strap, will com- 
plete the outfit. 



SEA-TKOUT. 



I believe it is not yet quite decided whether 
the so-called Sea-Trout are not the same as the 
Speckled Trout ; if so, their habits seem to 
have become changed somewhat from their 
long residence in salt water, and they are very 
much brighter in color than the ordinary 
Brook Trout. 

They are found in most of the Salmon rivers 
of Canada, the lower St. Lawrence, Prince Ed- 
ward's Island, and New Brunswick, making 
their appearance early in June and disappear- 
ing in August. 

Use the same tackle as you would for Can- 
ada or Maine fishing. The following are very 
killing flies for this variety of Trout, and should 



LAKS-TBOUT, 37 

be dressed on sproat-hooks Nos. 4 to 6 : Bea- 
trice, Braudreth, Ferguson, Tinselled - Ibis, 
Jungle Grizzly-king, Jungle-St. Patrick, Eoose- 
velt, Lottie, and Silver-fairy. 



LAKE-TKOUT. 

Lake-Trout are taken either by trolling or 
still-fishing at a buoy — the Adirondack and 
Maine guides are in the habit of baiting certain 
localities, which they mark with a buoy. The 
proper rig for Lake-Trout fishing is a stout 
and rather stiff rod, and a reel filled with a 
hundred yards of braided linen or silk line, 
size No. -3 or 4. 

In trolling, use a good-sized minnow on a 
gang of treble -hooks, or, if a minnow is not ob- 
tainable, a piece of chub or sucker will answer. 

Tlie gang should be attached to a strong 
leader, either of single or double gut, and the 
leader and line should be connected by a good 
double or treble swivel. A new style of gang, 



38 LAEE-TBOUT. 

called the *' St. Lawrence," is more simple and 
makes less show than the old style. It con- 
sists of a movable lip-hook and one treble-hook 
with a baiting-needle attached ; this prevents 
the minnow from being injured, and keeps it 
alive a long time. 

Next to the hve minnow the artificial min- 
nows, called " Fairy " and " Phantom," are the 
most kiUing. Sometimes they bite well at a 
mottled pearl-spoon or a cast of big flies. 

Early in the Spring they will take bait near 
the surface, but as the season advances and the 
water becomes heated, the line must be well 
weighted for deep trolling. A good plan is to 
attach the line to a heavy swivel dijisy-sinker 
which can drag on the bottom ; about eight or 
nine feet above the sinker fasten a heavy nine- 
foot single leader with the gang attached by a 
double swivel ; with this rig a bite can be felt 
much easier than when the sinker is above the 
bait. 

In still-fishing, it is not necessary to use 
much of a sinker, but you will need the same 



BLACK BASS. 89 

stiff rod used for trolling. A leader is not 
necessary ; use a large hook, a No. 3-0 to 5-0 
sproat on a treble loop will answer, or a Kinsey 
of the same size, and bait with half a minnow. 
The Lake-Trout bites rather gingerly, and the 
angler should strike sharp at the slightest 
nibble. 



BLACK BASS. 



We include under this heading both large 
and small mouth Black Bass. The large-mouth 
Bass is sometimes called the Oswego Bass, and 
in some of the Southern States " Trout," and 
in others the '^Chub." 

The Black Bass furnishes more sport to an- 
glers than any other fish, and they are justly 
very popular. Their fighting qualities are of 
a high order, and they are game to the last. 
The small-mouthed variety is rather the greater 
favorite, but the " big-mouthed " average con- 
siderably more in weight. They take every 



40 BLACK BASS. 

variety of bait, and often afford excellent spoii 
with ttie artificial fly. 

For fly-fishing select the heaviest fly-rod and 
a click-reel holding not less than thirty yards 
of dead-finish line No. 4 or 5, a stout mist- 
color single leader six (or preferably) nine feet 
in length, with one or two flies attached. 




BLACK BASS. 



In fly-casting for Black Bass, allow the flies 
to sink well before moving them. The favorite 
l^laces to find these fish are around rocky islands 
and shoals, or along the banks, particularly in 
the neighborhood of sunken logs. If fishing 
from a boat, instruct the boatman to keep 
within casting distance of the shore ; cast 
close to the bank and draw the flies toward 
you. As soon as you hook a fish the boatman 



^LACK BASS. 41 

sliould move out into deeper water so as not to 
disturb the others, and he should take great 
care not to allow the Bass to run under the 
boat. Black Bass are very fond of following 
minnows in shoal-water close in shore, particu- 
larly in the early morning, and again toward 
night. When feeding in that manner they 
rarely refuse a fly, but they are a very shy fish, 
and easily frightened, so let the cast be as long- 
as possible, but not longer than you can lay out 
straight. Large Bass like a large fly, but you 
must be guided somewhat by the depth of 
water, whether rough or smooth, clear or dis- 
colored, in making your selection. 

For streams and ponds, a fly dressed on a 
No. 3, 4, or 5 sproat-hook will be found large 
enough ; but for the St. Lawrence and large 
lakes, and paiiicularly for Western and South- 
ern waters, use flies tied on sproat-hooks from 
No. 1-0 to 2. They should be snelled with 
heavy single gut and doubled at the head. 

The following list of flies can be relied upon 
as being most excellent ; Dark-Montreal, Lord 



42 ^LACK BASS. 

Baltimore, Silver-doctor, Hopatcong, Martin, 
Post, Scarlet-Ibis, White-miller, Orange-mil- 
ler, Jungle-St. Patrick, Grizzly- 
king, Governor Alvord, Seth 
Green, Brandreth, Lottie, Jun- 
gle-Professor, Beatrice, Tuxedo, 
Ferguson, Golden-rod, Eube- 
Wood, Whitney, Page, Yellow 
May, and the various colored 
* Palmers and Hackles. 

Bass take the fly both early 

and late in the season. In Au- 
tre "lord BALTI- J 1 j.1 i? £ ry 

MORE " ARTiFi- gust, whcu thc suriacc oi the 
water is warm, like the Trout, 
they seek deeper and cooler water, and will 
not notice the fly. 

* A Palmer has the Hackle wound all the way down 
the body, while the Hackle has it only wound at the 
head. 




mOLLlNa AND STTLL-FismWG. 43 

TEOLLINO AND STILL-FISHING FOR 
BASS. 

For trolling or still-fishing, tlie rod should 
be short and rather stiff ; the reel, either a 




LONGITUDINAL SECTION OF IMBRIE'S PATENT REBL. 



double or quadruple multiplier, with balance- 
handle and compensating steel points. This 
latter great improvement in reels was invented 



44 TROLLiNG AND STtLL-FISEING. 

and patented by Mr. Charles F. Imbrie, of 
New York. 

It does away with the old bearings which 
caused so much wear and tear in reels, and 
substitutes two finely-tempered steel points, 
h, h (see diagram), which can be adjusted mth 
a screw-driver (first removing the caps m, m) 
to a nicety. These reels can be made to run 
as evenly and smoothly as the famous Frank- 
fort reels, and at less than half the cost. You 
will need from fifty to seventy-five yards of 
No. 5 or 6 braided silk line, and sometimes 
you may require a light sinker. 

LIST OF THE BEST BAITS FOR TROLLING. 

Live Minnows, Fairy-minnow, Phantom- 
minnow, Celluloid - minnow, Mettled - pearl 
bait, Sharbot, and the various Metal-spoons 
and Spinners. 

In addition to the above, for Florida ^nd 
OTHER Southern waters, the Florida - pearl 
Spinner and the Buel metal Spinners are ex- 
cellent. In the Eastern and Middle States, 



TROLLING AND STILL-FISHING. 45 

a small s^ioon is much more killing than the 
larger ones, but in the Southern and Western 
States you will need larger sizes. 

Attach any one of the above-named baits to 
your line, using a heavy six or nine-foot leader 
and plenty of swivels, and it is a good plan to 
loop on the leader a couple of large bright 
llies about two feet apart. 

Another killing and more sportsmanlike way 
is to troll with a fly-rod and a cast of two or 
three flies, hooking a small bright minnow 
through the lips with each fly. Eighty feet of 
line will be about the right length to have out 
when trolling. 

For Still-Fishing use any of the following 
live baits on sproat-hooks Nos. 1 to 4, and a 
single-gut leader: Minnows, Dobsons or hell- 
gramites, frogs, crickets, shrimps, grasshoj)- 
pers, grubs, worms, and crawfish. Unless 
th^ current is very strong, a split shot or two 
will be sinker enough. If of proper quahty, 
single gut will be abundantly strong for 
leaders and snells, and you should be able to 



46 TROLLING AND STILL-FISHING. 

kill tlie largest Black Bass, or any two of them 
for that matter, without endangering your 
tackle. Floats are now rarely used, and are 
unnecessary. Casting a minnow or other bait 
from the reel for Black Bass is a new and very 
sportsmanlike way of anghng for these fish. 
Professor Alfred N. Mayer, of the Stevens 
Institute, of Hoboken, N. J., has designed a 
very superior rod for this style of angling, 
and he has been very successful in. killing 
large Bass by this method, when all others 
failed. The rod is made of eight sections of. 
carefully selected Calcutta bamboo, huilt round, 
and of a perfect taper from butt to tip. It 
weighs only about 9 ounces, and while it casts 
perfectly and is stiff enough for trolling, it 
affords as much sport when playing a Bass as 
a light fly-rod. It is used single-handed, and 
with an Imbrie patent compensating reel wiU 
cast a minnow 135 feet. 

Professor Mayer has won the first prize in 
Black Bass casting at a tournament in Qentral 
Park. 



TROLLING AND STILL-FISHINQ. 47 

ROCK BASS. 

These fish are taken in the same manner as 
Black Bass. In most locahties they are so 
numerous as to be considered a nuisance by 
the anglers when fisliing for their more aristo- 
cratic brethi'en. On the St. Lawrence River, 
where they are named " Goggie-eyes," they 
grow to a good size, but have no game quali- 
ties, giving up the fight as soon as hooked. 

MUSKAXLONGE. 

This monster of the Pickerel family is taken 
by trolling with a stout rod and large reel, 
holding not less than 100 yards of strong 
braided-silk or linen line ; a large copper, 
brass, or silver spinner, or a strong gimp- 
gang, with a Perch or Chub for bait, is attached 
by means of a stout swivel. The largest-sized 
Fairy- minnow Js also a killing lure. 

PICKEREL. 

The different kinds of Pickerel are taken 
either by trolling, still-fishing, or skittering. 



48 TROLLING AND STILL-FISHING. 

They require a larger spoon than the Black 
Bass, and those made of copper are apt to do 
better than the white-metal baits. They can 
also be caught by trolling with a live minnow 
on a good-sized St. Lawrence gang, or with 
the artificial celluloid minnow. 

For skittering you will require a long, stiff 
rod and a short line. Place youi'self in the 
bow of the boat, which should be rowed or 
paddled quietly near the shore or river banks, 
particularly where there is a growth of grass or 
lily-pods. Hold the rod at a right angle with 
the boat, so that the spoon will just drag along 
the surface of the water. The "Allure" or 
" Salmon-Trout " sj^oons are the best for this 
style of fishing, as they are much lighter than 
the others. 

When a fish takes the bait, get him into the 
boat as soon as possible. If you do not hap- 
pen to be provided with a sj^oon, a piece of 
the belly of a fish, or a strip of white rind of 
salt pork will answer. 

Still-fishing is practised in the same manner 



TROLLING AND STILL-FISHING. 49 

as for Black Bass, except that the hooks shouL 
be snelled on gimp or wire, and should be 
considerably larger. A lively minnow or frog 
is the best bait. 

PIKF-PEKCH, WALL-EYED PIKE, OR GLASS-EYED PIKE. 

When angling for this beautiful fish, the 
Salmon of the Western States, use the same 
tackle as for Black Bass. They are generally 
caught still-fishing with a small and Hvely 
bright minnow. Use sproat-hooks on single- 
gut Nos. 1 to 4, and a very Ught sinker. 

YELLOW PERCH. 

Any light rod will do for Perch fishing, 
either Trout or Black-Bass outfit will answer. 
They are not particular what bait they take, 
but a live minnow will generally caj)ture the 
largest. Sometimes they will rise to a bright 
fly, and the author has frequently taken a 
Black Bass on one fly and a Perch on the 
other. A small spoon-bait is also very killing 
at times. The Hve baits usually used are min- 
4 



50 WHERE TO FISff, 

nows and worms. Sproat-hooks Nos. 5 to 8 
are the proper sizes ; they should be snelled 
on single gut. Use one or two split shot for 
sinkers. 

WHITE CHUB, SILVER CHUB OR WIND-FISH. 

t 

Though not very gamey, this fish affords 
excellent practice for the beginner in fly-fish- 
ing. They wiU rise to any bright fly, dressed 
on a No. 6 or 8 sproat-hook. 

In the way of bait they will take grass- 
hoppers, crickets, grubs, and worms. 



WHERE TO FISH. 

It would be impossible in a limited work 
like this to give a satisfactory list of the many 
fishing resorts. Mr. W. C. Harris, of the 
American Angler, has recently published a 
very complete work devoted to such informa- 
tion, and anglers seeking new waters cannot 
do better than to consult it. The pages of the 
Forest and Stream, American Angler, Spirit of 



WHEBE TO FISH. 51 

the Times, and tlie Turf, Field and Farm, afford 
weekly lists of fishing grounds, and as far as 
the author is able, he will always be glad to 
furnish all the latest news from the different 
localities with which he is acquainted. 

On Long Island the localities for Trout- 
fishing are principally owned by private parties 
and clubs ; but good Black-Bass fishing can 
be had at Lake Ronkonkoma. The most cele- 
brated waters for Black Bass near New York 
City are as follows : Greenwood Lake, Lake 
Hopatcong, Rye Lake, Slaughter Pond, and 
Lake Mahopac. The Delaware River, from the 
Water Gap np, furnishes excellent fishing. At 
a greater distance there is the Susquehanna 
River and tributaries; Lake Erie and the far- 
famed St. Lawrence River, including the 
" Thousand Islands " ; the Mohawk River, Lake 
Champlain, Lake George, etc. In Canada 
there is an endless number of lakes and rivers 
teeming wdth Bass, Wall-eyed Pike, Muskal- 
longe, Pickerel, and, in some sections, Trout 
and Salmon. 



52 WHERE TO FI8K , 

Clayton, on tlie St. Lawrence River, is an 
excellent place for headquarters, and affords 
fine fishing for Black Bass, Pickerel, Wall-eyed 
Pike, and Muskallonge ; it is easily reached 
by railroad from New York City, and com- 
bines all the comforts of civilization with the 
freedom of the wilderness. With your guide 
and boat you start from the house after a 
comfortable breakfast, provided with a good 
lunch, and follow your own sweet will among 
the lovely islands and around the rocky shoals. 
At noon you go ashore and your boatman 
cooks your fish to add to the dinner, while 
you rest under the cool shade of the big trees. 
After a rest of an hour or two, you continue 
your fishing with renewed zest. 

The lakes and rivers in the West furnish 
grand sport, and some, like Lake Gogebic in 
Michigan, f aii'ly swarm with fish. There is yet 
fine Speckled-Trout fishing to be had in the 
Adirondack region, but to find it you must 
have a first-rate guide, and not be afraid of a 
tramp and some rough work. Still nearer in 



WHERE TO FISH. ^P, 

Pennsylvania there are some very good streams 
Starting at Heni'y\'ille on the Delaware, Lacka- 
wanna & "Western Eaih'oad, the angler will 
find fair Trout-fishing all the way up to Toby- 
hanna. 

Williamsport, Pa., is the centre of ::. good 
Trout-fishing region ; in the neighborhood are 
the following streams : Loyal Sock, Young 
Woman's Creek, Sinnamahoning, Kettle Creek, 
Trout Kun, Lycoming Kiver, Pleasant Stream, 
Rock Eun, etc. The best time to visit this 
section is from May 15th to June 15th. The 
lower part of the Neversink (it is preserved by 
the Neversink Club above Claryville), the 
Beaverkill, and the Willowemock, are famous 
Trout streams in SulHvan and Ulster Counties, 
N.Y. 

For the large Speckled-Trout the angler 
must visit the north shore of Lake Superior, 
Maine, or the Canadian Eivers emptying into 
the Lower St. Lawrence. June, July, and 
September are the best months, but in June 
the black flies and punkies make the angler's 



54 WHERE TO FISK 

life a burden unless protected by bead-nets, 
gloves, and Ferguson's "Repellene." Tim- 
ponds, the Bangeley lakes, and Mooseliead are 
good starting-points. If you visit Mooseliead 
Lake, try the Outlet, Spencer Bay, Table 
Rock, and Sarcadian River, making the Mount 
Kinneo House your headquarters, and if you 
are ambitious for " big " fishing select a good 
Indian guide, and strike off to the outlying 
ponds and camp out. You will then get your 
fill of Trout-fishing. The Upper Potomac fur- 
nishes fine Black-Bass fishing, easily reached 
from Washington, D. C, while all the waters 
of the Southern States abound in Black Bass 
of the big-mouth variety. Florida in par- 
ticular affords magnificent fishing ; the angler 
must not forget that the Southern fishing re- 
quires larger flies and baits, and heavier tackle 
than those used in the North. 

Dr. Kenworthy, of Jacksonville, a famous 
angler, will always be glad to furnish those 
who visit Florida with valuable advice as to 
when and where to go. 



MISGELLANEO US BINTS. 55 

MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. 

Before starting on a fishing trip, the angler 
should make out a list of such things as he in- 
tends taking with him, so that nothing shall be 
overlooked. If going into the woods, cut down 
the list as much as possible and reduce the 
luggage to the smallest compass. If you are 
going up to the Adirondacks or Maine woods 
for a two-weeks' trip, the following list may 
assist you in your selection : 

2 Kods, or one with extra joint and tips ; 3 
dozen flies ; 2 reels ; 2 lines ; 1 dozen leaders ; 
2 dozen bait-hooks ; a few sj)oons and Fairy- 
minnows for bait ; 1 pair extra trowsers ; 3 
pairs woolen socks ; 1 extra paii' of shoes ; 2 
suits flannel underclothing ; 1 extra flannel- 
shirt ; 1 rubber coat or blanket ; toilet articles, 
thread, buttons, needles, and pins. Flask, 
compass, arnica plaster, Allcock's Porous Plas- 
ter, Rochelle Salts, Brandreth Pills, Jamaica 
Ginger, and matches. Do not take cigars, but 
rely on your pipe. Wear a warm gi'ey woolen 



56 BLACK-MSS FISHING 

Norfolk jacket and Knickerbockers, woolen 
stockings and a grey felt hat. 

You will not need a " Bowie " or a revolver, 
as the Indians are not dangerous now ; but if 
you go late in the season, you may be able to 
use a Winchester Kifle to advantage. The 
guides usually provide tents and cooking uten- 
sils, but you must furnish blankets for your- 
self, and stores for all hands. These can be 
obtained at the hotels from which you start. 
In Maine it is unlawful to use any spoon or bait 
with more than one hook ; gangs are forbid- 
den. 



BLACK -BASS FISHING ON THE ST. 
LAWRENCE RIVER. 

Perhaps there is no better way of giving the 
young angler an idea of the pleasures of a day 
among the " Thousand Islands " than to quote 
the following from the author's diary, prefaced 
by a short description of his favorite fishing 
ground. 



ON THE ST. LAWRENCE IIIVEB. 57 

The " Thousand Islands," so called, num- 
ber really about seventeen or eighteen hun- 
dred, commencing a little below Cape Vin- 
cent and extending to Alexandria Bay. Clay- 
ton is the most central location and the best 
place for the angler to make his headquarters. 
These islands vary very much in size ; some 
are but a clump of rocks, while others are sev- 
eral miles in extent and contain large and well- 
cultivated farms. Many of them are still wild 
and beautiful, covered with hemlock and pine ; 
but now the majority are occupied with hand- 
some cottages, and so much " improved " that 
the old anglers hardly recognize them. 

" I have just finished breakfast and am 
watching John, my boatman, getting our traps 
together to take down to the boat. M}^ rod is 
jointed, a new nine-foot single-gut leader at- 
tached to the line, and with a big Grizzly-king 
for the tail-fly and a Turkey-brown for a 
dropper, I am ready for business. The lunch 
is carefully packed by mine host of the ' West 
End HoteV (and he knoAVS how to provide a 



58 BLACK-BASS FISHINQ 

good one,) not forgetting a goodly piece of ice 
and a bottle of claret. At last everything is 
carefully stowed amidships. I take my place 
in the comfortable chair-backed seat in the 
stern, and John shoves off. 

" These St. Lawrence boats are marvels of 
comfort and beauty, and their owners take 
great pride in their appearance. Well coated 
with shellac, with all the trimmings and 
mountings silver-plated, they are dainty 
enough for a lady in full dress. 

" We are not the only ones who think it a 
good day for the Bass ; a number of boats are 
gliding off in different directions, and there 
goes a little steam-launch bound up the river, 
with a string of half a dozen or more boats 
fastened to her stern like a tail to a kite. They 
are going to St. John's Island or HoUiday's 
Point to try for the savage Muskallonge. 

" ' Well, John, where shall we go to-day ? ' I 
ask. ' Oh, I guess we'll try the shoals and take 
a cast around Powder Horn and Shot Bag/ 
thereby meaning two small islands in front of 



ON TBE ST. LA WHENCE RIVER 50 

Clayton. These we soon reach, and John slows 
up as we get within casting distance. I grad- 
ually lengthen out my Hne and soon my two 
big flies are dropping forty feet away. Allow- 
ing the flies to sink well out of sight in the 
clear water, so clear that the rocks are plainly 
visible at the bottom, the cast is moved a foot 
at a time until near enough, and then away 
they go again." (When lifting the line from 
the water care must be taken not to strike a 
fish too hard, for this is a critical moment. 
Bass are very apt to rise as they see the flies 
leaving, and the rod being at such a sharp an- 
gle to the line, cannot yield, and disaster is the 
natural result.) 

" For some time I do not receive much en- 
couragement, still I enjoy the charming scene- 
ry, the sense of freedom, and the bracing air. 
Suddenly there is a big swirl and instantly I 
strike. As soon as the Bass feels the book he 
is off like an arrow, and the reel buzzes like a lo- 
cust ; his inish ends with a leap for freedom, the 
rod follows his motion, and he falls back with 



60 BLACK-BASS FISHING 

a splash. Another rush, and another jump — 
now he sees the shadow of the boat, and makes 
a dart for that place of refuge, but a splash of 
John's oar sends him off on another tack. A 
few minutes of this exciting work, and the fish 
begins to tire. John gets out the long-handled 
landing-net, and the next time he passes near 
the boat, deftly slips the net under him, 
knocks him on the head with a stick, and 
drops him in the box with the remark, ' That 
beats trollin' all holler.' 

" Then I catch a couple of small ones, which 
we return to the water to grow ; then a 
larger one, big enough, as John remarks, to 
make the pan fizz ; then a wretched ' Goggle- 
eye ' is hooked, and as I reel him in with his 
big, gaping mouth and enormous eyes, he 
looks as if he intended to swallow boat and all. 

" After an hour or two of fair sport we start 
for Eel Bay, past Robbin's Island, and the 
many cool and shady nooks along its shore, 
past lily-padded bays, whence we start a big 
grey heron that goes off with its long legs 



ON THE ST. LAWRENCE HIVER. 61 

stretched behind. I make an occasional lazy 
cast, not expecting anything in the channel, 
when suddenly as I attempt to lift my hne I 
find I am fast. ' Stop, John ! back her ! I 
am caught ! ' but evidently not to a log, as I ex- 
pected ; instead of which, it appears to be a 
fish. We could not make out for some time 
what it was, it acted so strangely ; finally, 
John saw, as it passed the boat, that it was a 
big Pickerel hooked foul. It took some time 
to kill this rascal on such Hght tackle and 
hooked in such a manner, but he was also soon 
added to our glistening prey. 

" It is now approaching lunch-time, and we 
look around for a good spot ; this we have not 
long to wait for, as charming camp sites are 
plentiful. John turns into a Httle cove, scat- 
tering a brood of wild ducks as he pulls up to 
the shore. We jump out, glad to stretch our 
legs after four hours in such close quarters. 
John puts a smooth log under his boat so as 
not to scratch the varnish, and hauls her up 
high and dry, then starts a bright fire. From 



62 BLA CK-BASS FlSHlNa 

some mysterious comers in his boat, he pro- 
duces a folding-table and chair, spreads a snow- 
white table-cloth, and proceeds to get lunch, 
or dinner as the guides term it. He then se- 
lects a couple of Black Bass, skins them, re- 
moves the bones, and fries them with a little 
salt pork or bacon ; these, with a steaming dish 
of potatoes, make a valuable addition to the 
cold chicken, hard-boiled eggs, etc., furnished 
by my friend Smith. 

" In half an hour the dinner-bell (spoon and 
tinpan) calls me to lunch ; nothing loath, I 
make a savage attack on the various good 
things, and while I am smoking my pipe over 
a cup of cofifee, John transacts a little of the 
same business on his own account. Here we 
spend a couple of delightful lazy hours, 
stretched on the greensward under the cool 
shade of the hemlocks, and thinking with 
compassion of our friends in the hot, dusty, 
and noisy city. 

" John, who rather begrudges every minute 
not spent in fishing, thinks it is time to be off. 



ON THE ST. LA WRENCE RIVER. 63 

So, as soon as the things are put away, we 
make another start. Our luck varies — some- 
times we meet with a heart-rending loss, such 
as losing a big fellow that is not well hooked ; 
but this only gives more zest to our angling, 
and makes us feel all the better when after a 
hard struggle a good fish is netted. 

"Late in the afternoon, when the sun seemed 
setting in a sea of gold, as we were i^assing a 
small island, I noticed in a little cove the swirl 
of a big Bass ; John stopped the boat and 
backed it to within easy casting distance. I 
quickly dropped my flies over the spot where 
yet the bubbles were floating ; as I started to 
draw them towards me the fish made a rush for 
it, and the Hne fairly twanged like a bow-string 
as I struck him. John backed quietly away 
in deep water, and I played the Bass with my ut- 
most skill. After a lively fight of several min- 
utes, he seemed to get heavier and stronger 
instead of giving up, and I soon discovered 
that a second one had taken the dropper ; there 
was a Uvely time for a few minutes, but they 



64 BLACK-BASS FISHING. 

helped kill one another, and John soon had the 
satisfaction of landing them both. 

" ' Now, John, put me back there again/ 
" One or two casts, and there is another swii'l, 
and a second almost at the same moment ; and 
again I have two. These are also safely played 
and landed. Once more, and three times in 
succession, I have two good Bass. To make a 
long story short, we capture around that httle 
island thirty-five small-mouthed Bass, running 
from one to over 2^ pounds in weight, but not 
again two at a time. Our box was now full to 
overflowing, and feeUng more than satisfied 
with our wonderful evening's sport, I tell my 
boatman to start for Clayton. 

" When we arrive, many others are landing, 
and various are the catches, — Black Bass, Pick- 
erel, Wall-eyed Pike, and one lucky man has 
an immense 34-pound Muskallonge. But I 
envy no one ; my forty odd Bass, none under 
a pound, make a brave showing, all taken on a 
fly-rod with artificial flies, to say nothing of a 
seven-pound Pickerel." 

\ 



SALT-WATER ANGLING. 

Unfortunately of late years, the fisliing along 
our coast and harbors has been going from 
bad to worse every season. Some think the 
oil factories are to blame, "while others think 
that pound-nets, garbage scows, and the poison 
from gas and chemical works, etc., do the mis- 
chief. Probably all do their share towards 
the wholesale destruction now going on. It is 
a great shame, for there should be fish enough 
in our bays and rivers, and along our coast, to 
furnish food and sport for aU who are willing 
to take the trouble to go fishing. But in our 
eagerness for wealth, we have no time to 
bother with these things — and " after us, the 
deluge." 

For salt-water fishing, the angler should 

provide himself with at least two rods — one 

short and stiff for heavy fishing — such as 

Sheepshead, large Striped-Bass and Blue-Fish, 

• «'65) 



66 SALT- WA TER ANOLINQ. 

— tlie other lighter, longer, and more flexible, 
for small Striped-Bass, AVeak-fish, King-fisli, 
etc. 

The first-named rod should be made in two 
pieces, of bamboo or noibwood, about 8 feet 
long — a rod made of one piece is better, but is 
inconvenient to carry. The lighter rod for 
inside fishing should be nine or ten feet in 
length and more flexible. 

For the heavy rod, a reel holding 200 yards 
of Cuttyhunk or Tarj^on line is necessary ; 
while, for the Hghter, one capable of holding 
100 yards will be sufficient. The above-named 
lines should be made of linen, as silk lines 
soon rot in salt water. 

The reels used for Striped-Bass and heavy 
fish generally, should be of the finest desciip' 
tion, as they have to stand heavy work. A 
first-class hard-rubber and German -silver reel 
costs from 35 to 40 dollars, but will last a life- 
time ; these run on steel pivots with j)atent 
compensating steel points, and are beautiful 
specimens of workmanship ; but a very ser- 



SALT-WATSR AmLING. 



67 



viceable reel made of brass and nickel-plated, 
and furnished with the patent compensating 
steel points, can be bought for about 16 dol- 
lars. For the smaller fish any good multiplyin g 
reel will answer, but as those furnished with 



t--^'-k 




STKIPED-BASS, OR ROCK-FISH, 



the patent compensating steel points cost but 
little more than the ordinary old-fashioned 
reels, the angler should give them the prefer- 
ence. 

STRIPED-BASS, OE ROCK-FISH. 

Tliis noble fish, is highly prized by the ang- 



68 SALT-WATER ANOLtm. 

Hng fraternity, and affords sport along the 
whole coast of the Atlantic from Florida to 
Maine. The larger fish, sometimes running 
up to the enormous weight of sixty and seven- 
t}^ pounds, are caught off the rocky coast of 
New England by casting the menhaden or 
lobster-tail in the .boiling surf, with a stiff rod 
and 200 -yard reel as described in a previous 
chapter. 

The smaller ones are found in every creek, 
bay, and river where they have not been driven 
out by the foul discharges from oil and gas 
works. 

Chesapeake Bay now fui'nishes the best 
Striped-Bass fishing convenient to get at ; the 
fish vary from two to twenty pounds. 

The baits used for outside fishing, are the 
menhaden and lobster. A knobbed O'Shaugh- 
nessey from 7-0 to 9-0 is looped on the line 
(no leader), but if Blue-fish are running, it is 
better to use a needle-eyed hook with a foot or 
two of fine piano wire between the hook and 
line. The angler will have to get some friend 



SALT-WATEM ANGLING. 69 

to instruct him in the rather difficult art of 
casting, as the bait must reach the fish outside 
of the breakers, generally a distance of sixty 
or eighty feet. The fish are usually attracted 
by chumming, which consists in throAving out 
small bits of bait, making an oily scum on the 
water, and attracting the fish from long dis- 
tances. The chummer also handles the gaff 
and fixes the bait. For the smaller fish in the 
inlets, bays, and rivers, the baits are numerous 
— the best, however, are shedder-crabs, sand- 
worms, and shrimp ; the sproat-hook from 2-0 
to 4-0 on a heavy double-gut three-foot leader 
is the proper rig, with as light a sinker as jdos- 
sible. The best line for all this kind of fishing 
is a flax line called the " Tarj^on " line, next 
to that the " Cuttyhunk " line. These lines are 
of great strength, and a number 12 is heavy 
enough for anything the angler will run across 
in these waters, unless he haj^pens to strike a 
shark or a drum. Some prefer a No. 15 or 18, 
as they will stand more wear. 
The smaller Striped-Bass (School-Bass), run- 



70 SALT-}VATEB ANGLING. 

ning from j of a pound to 2 lbs., will often take 
a fly in brackish waters. Use a single-gut 
nine-foot leader with a No. 6 sproat-hook, at 
tlie bottom baited with a single shrimp, and 
loop on three flies at equal distances above ; 
the Professor and Orange-Miller take the best. 
Cast as you would for Trout, and it is not un- 
usual to take three and four fish at a time. 
The last of the flood-tide is the best time to 
fish in this manner. 

Good-sized Bass are often caught by troll- 
ing with a treble-hook baited with three sand- 
worms ; hook them securely near the head, 
and allow them to drag behind the hook. The 
Bass will follow them, nibbling at the tails, and 
presently bolt the whole bait. 

A knitted linen thumb-staU should be used 
on the thumb of the right hand to prevent the 
line from cutting the skin. 

THE CHANNEL BASS, RED-BASS OE SPOT, 

of the Southern States, is caught with the same 
tackle as our Striped-Bass, using mullet for 



SALT-WATER ANGLING. 



71 



bait. They average in weight from 4 to G lbs., 
with occasional specimens in the channels 
weighing from 20 to 40 lbs. They are free 
biters and game to the backbone. Gut-snells 
are not necessary, and are too easily cut by 
shells on the bottom. 




BLUE-FTSH. 



THE BLUE-FISH. 



Formerly Blue-fish were taken almost alto- 
gether by troUing with a hand line and artifi- 
cial squid, or casting the squid by hand from 
the shore ; of late years " chumming " hac 



73 SALT-WATER liNGLING. 

been more successful, and is also a more sports- 
man-like v/ay of fishing. For the former, all 
that is necessary, is a stout braided cotton 
hand-line with a tin or wooden squid attached, 
while for the latter the tackle used for heavy 
Stripe d-Bass fishing is the proper rig. In 
trolling, the boat is kept in motion, and the 
fisherman hunts up the fish ; in chumming, the 
boat is anchored, and the fish hunt up the fish- 
erman, being attracted by the " chum," or 
small bits of menhaden, which are chopped up 
and thrown on the water by the skipper. The 
oil from the menhaden floats on the surface, 
and produces a " slick," which attracts the 
Blue-fish from a long distance. The hooks 
used are fastened to the line -by a piece of 
piano wu^e ; otherwise, the Blue-fish would 
cut them off with their sharj) teeth as fast as 
they could be put on. For the smaller run of 
fish, a 7-0 eyed O'Shaughnessey is the proj^er 
hook ; for the larger, or " outside " fish, use 
sizes Nos. 9-0 or 10-0. Sinkers are not nec- 
essary. 



SALT-WATER ANGLING. 



T^ 



WEAK-FISH, SQUETEAGUE, YELLOW-FIN. 

These beautiful fish are caught in immense 
numbers along our coast, and are a great 
favorite with salt-water anglers. The smaller 
size come in with the tide in large schools, and 




WEAK-FISH. 



are caught at half flood in comparatively 
shallow water. It is not necessary to use 
heavy tackle ; the most sport wiU be had with 
a rather long and limber rod — say, 10 feet in 
length, and weighing about 10 ounces. A 
multiplying reel, filled with 50 to 100 yards of 



74 SALT-WATER ANGLING. 

12-thread Cuttyhunk line, and a few heavy 
double-gut leaders, will be about all that is 
needed. The hooks, si)roat Nos. 4-0 to 6-0, 
should be snelled on double-gut looj^s, and as 
little sinker as possible used ; but this must be 
regulated by the tide. The best baits are 
shedder-crabs and shrimp. The small, pearl 
Weak-fish squids are in great favor, and re- 
quire very little bait, and they will often take 
fish when the plain hook will not. 

In deeper water, at the edges of the chan- 
nels, the angler will sometimes strike the large 
AVeak-fish, called "tide runners"; these occa- 
sionally reach the weight of 8 and 10 lbs. 

The "Southern Weak-fish," also called "Salt- 
water Trout," or "Spotted Weak-fish," and 
which somewhat resembles our Weak-fish, with 
the addition of a number of black spots scattered 
over its sides, is caught with the same tackle, 
using pieces of mullet for bait. They will also 
take a small spoon, end sometimes afford good 
sport with a bright fly. 



SHEEPSHEAD, 75 

SHEEPSHEAD. 

This excellent table fish is considered a great 
jn-ize with fishermen. It is found around old 
wi'ecks and mussel beds, and owing to its 
powerful jaws and teeth must be fished with 
heavy tackle. A short stiff rod, the same as 




used in heavy Striped-Bass fishing ; in short, 
the same tackle will do all throughout, except- 
ing the hooks — these should be the best " Vir- 
ginia," snelled in pairs on braided Hnen line — 
sizes from 1-0 to 2. 

They must be fished for close to the bottom, 
and therefor a heavy sinker is necessary. 
Bait, hard clams. 

Black-Fish, or Tantog, are caught with the 



76 TUE KING-TISU, 

same tacMe as the Sheepsliead, using smaller 
hooks — Virginia Nos. 4, 5, 6. Best bait, soft 
clams and fiddlers. 

Sea Bass are often found in company with 
the Black -fish. Use same tackle and clam 
bait. Both of the above can be taken with 
hand-lines, but afford much more sport with 
the rod and reel. 



THE KING-FISH or BARB. 

This is decidedly a game fish and a great 
favorite, but unfortunately rather scarce. It 
prefers clean sandy bottoms, and is a free biter 
and hard fighter. For these qualities as well 
as its excellence on the table^ the King- fish is 
highly prized by anglers. The tackle used is 
the same as for "Weak-fish, excejDting hooks ; 
these should be smaller, about Nos. 1 to 4 
sproat are the best. Baits, shrimp and shed- 
der-crab. 

Besides the fish already enumerated, there 
are a number of others which are cau^fht in 



TUE KING-FI8U. 77 

our waters, sucli as : Porgies, Lafayette-fisli, 
Flounders, Eels, White-Percli, Tom cods (Frost- 
fisli), etc. ; all of wliicli afford good sport with 
young anglers, tliough tliey can hardly be 
called game fish. The bait generally used is 
the tough part of the soft clam, though White - 
Perch prefer shrimp. Any small hook will 
answer, with sinkers adjusted to- the strength 
of the tide. 

Those who are fortunate enough to vieit our 
Southern waters, particularly the coast of Flor- 
ida, will find salt-water fishing in perfection. 
The following is a partial list, directions for 
fishing having been already given in most in- 
stances : 

Channel-Bass, Sheepshead, Spotted Weak- 
fish or Sea-Trout, "Whiting, Cavalli, Pompano, 
Ked - Snapper, Mongrove - Snapper, Tarpum, 
etc., etc. 

The Tarpum is an immense herring, and is 
well named the Silver-king. Its scales are 
very large, and have the appearance of having 
been dipped in silver. There have been a 



18 THE KtNG-FISH. 

number caught wifcli the rod and reel of late 
years — running in weight from 60 to 150 lbs. 
They can only be caught by means of special 
tackle, which should be composed of an outfit 
as follows: The rod should be of the best 
quality, noibwood, or greenheart preferred, 
not over 1^ or 8 feet long, very stiff, and made 
of not more than two pieces ; the reel should 
hold at least 600 feet of No. 18 or 21 tarpum- 
line, and be made in the best manner. Im- 
brie's patent compensating, hai'd-rubber, and 
German-silver reel is the best ; no leaders, but 
a 10-0 forged O'Shaughnessey hook, mounted 
on linked piano wire, with a heavy brass swivel ; 
the wire to be 3 feet long. For bait, half a 
mullet. The great secret in tarpum -fishing is 
not to strike until the fish has gorged the bait ; 
then, with proper skill on your part, the fish is 
yours. The mouth and cheeks are so thin and 
tender, that if hooked in those places, it is im- 
possible to prevent them from tearing out, for 
they fight and jump terribly. The angler 
going South should provide himself with plenty 



VARIO JJS HIIiTS. 79 

of hooks, particularly Virginia hooks, for Snap- 
pers, Drum, Sheepshead, etc. — sizes from Nos. 
3 to 1-0. Also, a few small-ringed Limericks 
for the pui'pose of catching Mullet, and other 
small fish for bait. 



HOOKS, SNELLS, AND VAEIOUS HINTS. 

Mr. Henry P.Welles, in his excellent work en- 
titled " Fly-Rod and Fly-Tackle," has explained 
at great length the advantages of the various- 
shaped hooks, how made, etc., and to those 
who wish to make a thorough study of this sub- 
ject, this book is recommended as being valu- 
able. At the same time, a work of this kind 
would not be complete without some simple 
directions as to how to snell hooks, make 
leaders, and repair broken rods. 

Without going into scienti£.c reasons, there 
is no doubt from the exjDerience of the major- 
ity of anglers, after many years of thorough 
trial, that a straight hook is better than one 
bent or kirbed. In the smaller sizes, and for 



80 VABI0TI8 HINTS. 

smaller, delicate -mouthed fish, this difference 
is not so marked, and it is comparatively easy 
to drive the point of the hook through and 
through ; but, when it comes to large fish, like 
the Salmon, big Striped-Bass, or even large 
Speckled-Trout, and Black-Bass, an angler 
would be considered of small account if he 
w^ere to attempt to fish with a kirbed hook. A 
man might just as well use bradawls, or nails 
with their points bent to one side, as to make 
fish-hooks in that manner. 

Of all the straight hooks the sproat is the 
best ; its bend is as near perfect as can be, and 
the small, keen barb will penetrate where no 
other hook will. I discovered this fact in the 
following manner. I was invited by a friend '^ 
to go out on Canandaigua Lake fly-fishing for 
Black-Bass ; it was my first experience in ang- 
hng for this fish. I had provided myself with 
some of McBride's best flies (on O'Shaughnessey 
hooks), and great were my expectations. We 
went out bright and early, and the fish were in 
the humor to be cau^fht. But alas ! I could 



VABIOUS HINTS. 83 

not keep tliem on my liook ; out of eleven fisli 
that I struck that morning, two only were 
saved ! My friend, an old angler, looked over 
my flies, and told me at once that my fly-rod 
could not diive such big barbs through the 
tough mouth of a bass ; so that day, he tied 
some for me on the sproat, to me then an un- 
known hook. The next morning we tried them 
again. / hooked and saved nine fine Bass in suc- 
cession, and then lost one. Since that time I 
use only sproat-hooks of the highest quality. 

So universally are they in favor, that dealers 
now use them altogether for dressing flies. 
Messrs. Abbey & Imbrie have kindly furnished 
a plate of these hooks, of which they make a 
special " Highest Quality," for fastidious ang- 
lers, giving the sizes most used in angling. 
The reader will find under their various head- 
ings, the proper sizes to be used for the differ- 
ent localities and varieties of fish. Every 
angler should carry in his kit a small and very 
smooth file. All hooks should be touched up 
before using, as the japan is apt to dull them, 



U VARIO V8 HINT8. 

and the points often get injured by striking 
stones, or even the bones in a fish's mouth. 
Attention to tliesp. small details marks the good 
angler. 

There is very httle economy in snelling your 
own hooks, and still less in making your own 
leaders, particularly if you are very choice in 
selecting gut. At the same time, it is a satis- 
faction to feel that you know how to do it if 
necessary, and it may afford some amusement 
during a stormy day. If you intend using 
leaders, it is more economical and convenient 
to snell your hooks with a short loop, which 
should be of stout single gut for Black-Bass, 
and lighter gut for Trout-fishing. All you re- 
quu'e for snelling hooks is some silk, well waxed 
with shoemaker's wax ; or, better still, a mix- 
ture of the above with a little beeswax. Bite 
your gut at the end to roughen it, take a iew 
turns around the bare hook with the silk, lay 
the gut against the shank and underneath, 
now wrap the silk evenly and firmly, and finish 
with the hidden knot. Any angler will show 



VARIOUS HINTS. 85 

you how this is made, and it is almost impos- 
sible to describe it. If you will varnish the 
wrapping with a little sliellac, it will last much 
longer. The great secret of having weU-snelled 
hooks is to wind the silk tightly ; it is quite a 
knack, and requires considerable j)ractice to 
keep the steady, even tension without breaking 
the silk. When dry, put in envelopes, and 
mark with the size of the hooks. 

Making leaders is more troublesome, and 
requires the closest attention and great care; 
and even then, you will be sorely tried by 
knots slipping and giving out. Still, practice 
will overcome all difficulties, and the only way 
to avoid disaster, is to try your leader care- 
fully before attaching it to your line. 

After dyeing your gut in clear tea or coffee, 
trim off the rough ends, and sort into three 
different sizes, so that the leaders can be taj)ered 
evenly. The gut should be well washed both 
before and after dyeing. Now, let the gut soak 
well, in warm water, keej)ing each size separate. 
If you wish to m%ke a leader nine feet in 



86 VARIOUS HINT8. 

length, make a three-foot leader out of each size 
of the gut, leaving a loop in each end ; when 
all three are finished, loop them together — the 
largest gut at one end, and the smallest at the 
other. Pull the loops tight together while 
soft, and hang the leader up to dry with a 
weight to straighten it. When dry, rub clean 
with a bit of soft paper. The loojis should not 
be over half an inch long. The knot used in 
t;Ndng leaders is very simple; lay the strands of 
gut together, and tie a simple knot, only pass 
the ends through a second time before drawing 
tight. Trim the ends aff close to the knot. 

The loop is tied by turning over sufficient 
gut to allow for the knot, and then tying it as 
you would a piece of string. There are other 
and more complicated methods, but these are 
very simple, and answer every purpose. Your 
leader is now complete, and with two sliding 
knots in which to insert the flies. 

It is astonishing how many anglers are ut- 
terly helpless, if the slightest accident happens 
to their tackle. It is almost impossible to 



VARIOUS HINTS. 87 

break a rod so badly that it is useless, or can- 
not be patched up sufficiently at least to last 
the day out. I have met with some bad breaks, 
and am myself a very poor hand at any work 
that requires the use of carpenter's tools, but 
still I have never let anything of the kind spoil 
a day's anghng. The nearest I ever came to 
giving up, was one day on a Pennsylvania 
stream, when, on hooking a fine Trout, I found 
the handle of my reel gone. Still, I saved the 
fish, and whittled out a substitute with my pen- 
knife. With a spool of well- waxed thread in 
his pocket, and a sharp knife, an angler ought 
to feel quite able to repair even a serious break. 
Beginners should learn from some angling 
friend, how to burn out ferrules, splice broken 
joints, etc., as it may be of great helj) to them 
on the stream. Do not forget that a bent pin 
makes an excellent guide or tip ring, though it 
is better to carry a few spare ones along in 
your fly-book. 

On a long trip it is well to carry a few small 
and simple tools — they can be put in a small box 



88 VARIOUS HINTS. 

that will take up very little room ; I have one 
that can be carried in a small side-pocket ; it 
should contain screw-driver, both wood and 
metal files, scissors, pHers, bradawl, a little glue, 
wax, a small bottle of shellac, a little wire, and 
thread in plenty. Even a piece of lance 'vood 
turned, or better, planed down to the size of 
your joint, if you carry but one, will take up 
but little room, though it is better to carry- 
either a spare joint or an extra rod. 

There is but little that can be done to a reel 
on the stream. The angler should see that it 
is always well oiled and in good condition before 
starting, and by all means carry a spare one. 

The best protection against accidents to 
tackle is to buy only the best, and to take good 
care of it ; above aU, do not lose your temper, 
even if you do get caught up a tree with the 
first cast of a new leader and your pet flies. 
Loss of temper is the cause of many broken 
rods, as I know to my soitow, but I have re- 
formed, and I can now say with commendable 
pride that I have not met with any serious 



CAMPINQ OUT. 89 

accident to my tackle during the past eight 
years. 

There are books by the dozen that contain 
elaborate directions for dressing artificial flies, 
but my advice is, if you wish to acquire this 
delightful art, go to some expert friend and 
take a few lessons. You will learn more in 
ten minutes watching him, than aU the books 
in the world can teach in ten years. 



CAMPING OUT. 



It is rarely necessary, in these modern times, 
for the angler to camp out. Steamboats go 
puffing through the lakes of Maine and the 
Adirondacks, to the horror of good sportsmen, 
and hotels have sprung up over the whole 
country from Florida to New Brunswick, 
wherever there is the slightest attraction or 
chance to bring people together. Still, there 
are a few out-of-the-way spots, choice locaHties 
known only to a few good guides and old ang- 



90 CAMPING OUT. 

lers. To get to these, it is necessary to do 
some rough tramping and camping ; and, per- 
haps, these few hints may enable those that are 
new to this kind of life, to enjoy it with some 
little comfort. At any rate, it is an experience 
that every sportsman should have, though, 
after the romance of the thing has passed off, 
and excepting under the most favorable cir- 
cumstances, a good bed in a well-kept inn, or 
farm-house, is good enough for your humble 
servant. The first thing is to make up your 
mind where you are going, and how long you 
intend to stay away from your headquarters. 
What you can take with you depends on the 
means of transportation ; if you take a boat or 
canoe, and the carrying distances are short, 
you may be able to go quite comfortably. 
About this, consult your guide. If you intend 
tramping it, make your load as light as pos- 
sible. I have started off with only the clothes 
on my back — a pair of socks and slippers done 
up in a blanket, and carried diagonally across 
my shoulders — a hatchet, and in my creel, some 



CAMPING OUT. 



91 



salt, pepper, crackers, a small piece of salt pork, 
a bottle of coffee, a tin cup and a tin plate. Of 
coui'se, with this simple outfit, I have only 
stayed away from the hotel for a couple of 
nights or so ; but as long as the weather re- 




CAMPINQ OUT. 



mained favorable, I could be very comfortable. 

My plan, after arriving at the place where I 

« 

desired to spend the night, was to select a clear 
spot near good water, and make a good " Lean 
to " as follows : Erect two forked sticks about 
6 feet high, and about 5 feet apart ; lay a ridge- 
pole across, then Qut some long poles for raft- 



93 CAMPING OUT 

ers, and cover the sides and top with boughs, 
or bark. Get a good-sized log for a back-log, 
and collect a goodly supply of firewood for the 
night. It is no joke hunting for wood after 
dark. This done, gather a good bed of boughs 
to sleep on, and see that there are no big or 
crooked limbs to make your night uncomfort- 
able. If possible, finish off with about 6 inches 
deep of the tips of hemlock or fir ; these make 
the softest and best bed of all. Now that 
your work is accomplished, you may fish, or 
get supper, as you please. 

If you intend camping out any length of 
time, you will require a tent or a good bark 
shanty. In the Maine woods the guides fur- 
nish tents and cooking utensils ; but a good 
bark shanty is more comfortable than the small' 
A tents they provide. Your personal effects 
are best earned in a knapsack ; the guide car- 
ries the provisions in his pack-basket. 

The sportsman ought to be able to keep him- 
self and guide supplied with his rod and gun, 
but it is well to know that a pound of hard- 



CAMPING OUT. 93 

tack, and tlie same weight of pork or bacon, 
will support you for 24 hours. 

A bag made of blankets is the warmest thing 
to sleep in ; it should be 6 feet long, and wide 
enough to creep into easily. Under this should 
be spread a rubber blanket ; your knapsack 
will answer for a pillow. If you intend to do 
much campmg out, I would advise you to take 
some lessons at home in the simple ways of 
cooking, so as not to be entirely helpless when 
thrown on your own resources. 

Guides are generally good cooks, and many 
of them not only good, but excellent. Coffee, 
however, seems to be a stumbling-block ; they 
seldom make it well. I therefore give a simjDle 
and most excellent recipe : For each person, 
put one tablespoonful of ground coffee in a 
sauce -pan, and one for the pot ; hold over the 
fire until the grounds are thoroughly heated. 
Then add one cupful of boiling water for each 
person. Let it stand fifteen or twenty minutes 
where it will be kept hot, but do not allow it to 
boil ; then, strain into the cup, add sugar and 



94 CAMPING OUT. 

a spoonful of condensed milk. This makes 
the best coffee in the world, providing the 
coffee itself is good and the water boiling. 

One of the best ways of cooking small fish 
is as follows : 

Clean and scale a few fish, season well, and 
wrap in buttered paper, dip into water, and 
place them in the ashes, over which heap live 
coals. In ten minutes or more, according 
to the size of the fish, they will be ready. 
Trout are particularly nice this way, only care 
must be taken that they do not get smoked. 
To prevent this, see that the fire is well burnt 
down first. 

Birds can be cooked very nicely in the fol- 
lowing primitive manner : Clean, but do not 
pick them ; after cleaning them insert a few 
little pieces of salt pork, well peppered, into 
the opening made by cleaning them. Make a 
paste of mud or clay, which knead well into 
the feathers, covering them thoroughly ; place 
this ball into the hot ashes, and cover well with 
coals. After baking for twenty minutes, crack 



LAST WORDS. 95 

this open, and you will find the hard clay will 
peel off with the feathers, leaving a kernel of 
delicious, juicy meat. 



LAST WOKDS. 

Do not catch or kill more fish or game than 
you can use ; do not keep fingerhngs, or fish 
for numbers, or descend to poaching in any 
shape ; treat the farmers civilly, and respect 
their rights ; by so doing, you will find that 
your anghng trips will be a joy forever. 

On long excursions, it is better to carry a 
spare rod, reel, and line ; also, plenty of waxed 
silk and thread ; a small file for sharpening 
hooks should be kept in the fly -book. 

After returning from a day's fishing, take 
your rod apart, wipe it dry, and then go over 
it with an oiled rag ; see that the joints and 
tips are straight before putting into the case — 
never put any of your tackle away wet. As a 
rule, people are very careless about these little 



96 LAST WOUDS. 

matters, and are apt to blame the dealers for 
mishaps that are caused by their own neglect. 
If the ferrules fit too tight, oil slightly ; if too 
loose, rub them well with beeswax or paraf- 
fine ; if by any accident they should become 
fastened together so that you cannot pull them 
apart, do not use too much force, or you will 
be apt to injure the joints ; heat the ferrules 
thoroughly, and they will sejDarate without ^ny 
trouble. 




A. G. SPALDING & BROS., 



DEALERS IN 



FlsMng Tackle of a Hlgli Grade 




SPA'D'MG'S C^VEBRATED SERRATED WATER- 
PRDDF fERRULE SPLIT-BAMBOO F.OD. 

Send for Illustrated Catalogue, containing our many 
specialties in the way of Fishing Tackle. 

241 Broadway, N. Y. • 108 Madison St., Chicago. 



Abbey & Iivtbrib, 



MANUFACTURERS OF 



Fine Fisliing Tscckle^ 




18 VESEY STRKET, 



NEW YORK:. 



On receipt of 50 cents we will send by mail, 
postage-paid, our new 120 double-page Catalogue, 
containing over 1,400 illustrations. Also a 40 
double -page Price-List, which includes every 
article requisite for an angler's complete outfit. 



Pkck & Snyder, 

124, 126, AWD 128 

NASSAU STREET, NEW YORK, 



DEALERS IN 



Fine Fishing Tacliie. 



Fine all-Lancewood, 3-Piece Fly-Rod, with Extra 
Tip, Nickel-Plated Mountings, Nickel-Plated 
Click Reel, and 25 Yards of Braided Oil-Silk 
Line. Price, ----- $7.00 

Fine Greenheart 3-Piece Fly-Rod, with Extia 
Tip, Nickel-Plated Mountings, Nickel- Plated 
Click Reel, and 25 Yards Waterproof Silk 
Line. Price, ----- $8.00 

3-Piece Black Bass Rod, Extra Tip, Nickel-Plated 
Mountings, and Nickel-Plated Multiplying 
Click Reel, with 200 Feet of Linen Line. 
Price, $5.50 

3-Piece Split-Bamboo Fly or Bass Rods, Plated 
Mountings. Price, _ _ _ $10.00 

3-Piece Split-Bamboo Fly or Bass Rods, German 
Silver Mountings. Price, - - $16.00 

3-Piece Split-Bamboo Fly or Bass Rods, Patent 
Ferrules and German Silver Mountings. 
Price, ------ I25.00 

Send for our 1887 Catalogue, just out, 356 large pages, over 
5,500 illustrations ; covers printed in 16 colors. Sent by mail, 
postage paid, 25 cents. ' 



DICK & FITZGERALD, 

PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK. 

The Publishers, upon receipt of the price, will send any of the /al- 
lowing books, postage /ree, to any part of the United States. In 
srdering books, the full name, post-office, county and State, should 
be plainly written. 

The American Hoyle ; or, Gentleman's Hand- 

Book ot Games. Containing all the Games played in the United 
States, with rules, debcriptions and technicalities, adapted to the 
American methods of playing. By Trumps. Thirteenth Edition; 
Illustrated with numerous diagrams and engravings. This work is 
designed and acknowledged as an authority on all games as played in 
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Thirteenth Edition, is Entirely Mew, and re-written from the 
latest reliable sources It includes an exhaustive treatise on Whist, 
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practical analysis of the Doctrine of Chances. 
i2mo., cloth, 536 pages. Price . |2 00 

The Complete Poker Player. A practical Guide- 

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experimental analyses of the probabilities at Draw Poker. By JoHU 
Blackbridge, Actuary and Counsellor-at-Law. This, as its title 
implies, is an exhaustive treatise on Draw Poker, giving minute, 
and detailed information on the various" chances, expectations, 
possibilities and probabilities that can occur in all stages of the game* 
with directions and advice for successful play, deduced from actual 
practice and experience, and founded on precise mathematical data. 

Small quarto, 142 pages, paper cover 50 cts. 

Bound in full cloth $1 00 

American Card-player. Containing clear and 

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Draw Poker, Whiskey Poker and Commercial Pitch, together with 
all the laws of those games. This work is abridged from "The 
American Hoyle," our Larger Book of Games. 150 pages. 

Bound in boards, with cloth back, price 5° (>ts. 

Bound in cloth, gilt side 75 cts. 







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